


Stargazing

by asoulofstars



Series: A Mess You Would Wear With Pride [3]
Category: Psych (TV 2006)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bittersweet, Communication, F/M, First Kiss, Heart Surgery Mention, Hurt/Comfort, Surgery Mention, They're just not at the same place, Unrequited but not really?, definitely headcanon heavy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:36:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27730888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asoulofstars/pseuds/asoulofstars
Summary: Riona needs to keep Shawn occupied after a concussion, so she decides on her favorite activity: star gazing.
Relationships: Shawn Spencer/Original Female Character(s), Shawn Spencer/Riona Gallagher
Series: A Mess You Would Wear With Pride [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2028376
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	Stargazing

**Author's Note:**

> Tag to 3x11 "Lassie Did A Bad, Bad Thing", which has become one of my favorites mostly due to my own emotional storyline here. Clearly, I love writing serious Shawn Spencer.

“So what is your master plan to keep me awake all night?” Shawn looked at Riona.

Riona smiled and pointed up at her roof. “How much do you know about stars?” she asked.

It was definitely necessary for her to figure out a game plan to make sure that he didn't fall asleep with the _nasty_ concussion Drimmer had given him. He was already bruising, and she knew he'd have quite a lump.

“You tell me,” he replied.

Riona smiled and led him up the stairs, holding onto him tightly in case he nearly fell like he did at Lassister’s house. Shawn leaned into her, and Riona opened up her hatch onto the roof. Her chairs were set up, and she eased Shawn into one. She pushed her chair up next to his and pointed up at the sky. While she didn't regularly have company, this was where she and Aislinn spent most of their time when her best friend was able to fly over to California.

“What constellations do you see up there?” she asked, leaning over and resting her head on his shoulder.

“Orion. The belt is obvious.” He raised his other arm, lacing his fingers through hers with the hand not pointing at the sky.

“Mmm. Very good.” She kissed his shoulder. “But that’s not the only one that’s up there.”

“Oh?”

“Look up there. See those four stars? That’s Iom Cret.” She smiled and pointed to a cluster that looked vaguely like a heart, if you maybe turned your head and squinted a little.

He raised an eyebrow. “Is that constellation recognized by NASA?”

Riona shook her head. “No, but it’s one of my favorites,” she replied.

“What’s it represent to you?” he asked.

“Hope. Love. The stars mean everything to me.” She pressed another kiss to his shoulder.

Shawn’s fingers found her chin, and then their lips were brushing against each other. Shawn pulled her into his lap, hands on her hips, slipping gently under her shirt. She whined against his lips, and her hands were moving between his shoulders and his chest.

She could feel the raised skin of a scar down his sternum, and she pulled back, eyes wide. She wondered how in three years, she'd never noticed it peeking out from his shirts.

“Open heart surgery,” he murmured. “Gus was a large part of the reason I didn’t go crazy.” His hands came up from her hips and wrapped around her fingers.

“Open heart surgery?” she whispered.

“An abnormal valve. My mom home-schooled me for a while, which was easy. Gus kept me company when he wasn’t at school; he practically lived with me for a while. I mean, he and I practically lived together for our childhood anyways, but we hated being apart when I was recovering.”

“I’m so glad you have Gus. I wish that Aislinn was here with me, but her life is in Massachusetts.” Riona sighed.

Shawn brushed her hair from her face. “You’ve got me,” he said gently. “But, uh, I can’t be your boyfriend right now, Riona. You want a serious relationship. You want to find someone who will be your person. And I don’t know if I’m ready for that. I’m always going to be here for you, but we’re not on the same page right now, and you deserve more than that.”

Riona chewed her bottom lip, tears welling up in her eyes. He kissed her cheek and wiped at her face with his thumbs.

“I’m so sorry.”

“No, don’t be. You’re being honest. That’s…more than I’m used to.” She pulled back, moving her hands off his chest. She always knew that her crush was never going to go anywhere. She had seen this coming from a mile away. The kiss was unexpected, but she did truly appreciate that he didn't try to push it.

“Hey, come here. You are an _amazing_ person, Riona. You have the kindest heart I’ve ever met, and you work so hard to give people closure at times when they desperately need it. You see the good in this world, and everyone needs to have a Riona in their life. Maybe I’ll get on the same page as you and be lucky enough to get another chance. But your person is out there, and they’re gonna cherish you.”

Riona buried her face against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. She swallowed hard, and her voice wasn’t much louder than a whisper.

“You’ll always have another chance, Shawn.”

“Don’t wait for me,” he said seriously, voice tight.

“I won’t. But I don’t want you to think that you don’t have another chance.” Her voice was muffled against his shirt.

He stroked her hair, and she closed her eyes against him. Riona turned up to the stars.

“Do you have other constellations?” he asked gently.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Show me,” he said.

So she did. She showed him Crantra, the tree, and she talked about her faerie world that she wrote about in some of her spare time. He ran his fingers through her hair. She liked it better when she thought that she'd never have to actually confront her feelings. But the fact that he didn't want to leave did help soften the blow. After all, he told her nothing she didn't already know. So, she let him stroke her hair, and she leaned into him, grateful that he was still part of her life.


End file.
